This invention relates generally to a device for remote sampling of a fluid medium and relates particularly to a device for remote sampling of air or water in field pollution studies and the like.
Previously, sampling of fluid mediums in pollution studies and the like have involved the use of evacuated stainless-steel grab cylinders, manual collection using plastic sampling bags and a large syringe, and chemically trapping the pollutant in glass-bubbler solutions. Each of these sampling techniques have numerous disadvantages. For example, the grab cylinders are expensive to maintain, are bulky, and although they can be adapted to remote operation they require automated valves, tubing and subcontrol systems. Also, the cylinder walls will occasionally absorb a portion of the gas sample when low concentrations are involved.
Plastic sampling bags are not as costly as stainless-steel cylinders but are more difficult to adapt to remote operations and often leak or become accidently punctured. Collection of contaminates or pollutants using gas bubblers is of limited utility since they are easily broken or otherwise contaminated and are difficult to store and transport. Also, the liquid solutions have a limited shelf-life which could lead to erroneous test results.
There is therefore a definite need in the art for a simple, inexpensive, reliable, remote sampling device for use in obtaining test samples of a fluid medium from remote sites.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for obtaining fluid samples from a remote location.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simple remote sampling system that can be accurately operated by semi-skilled technicians.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for sequentially obtaining multiple samples of a fluid medium at a remote site.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for collecting a plurality of fluid samples at a single location adaptable to be transported to a remote analysis site without danger of sample contamination.
According to one aspect of the present invention the foregoing and additional objects are attained by providing a housing disposed in a fluid medium and containing a removable rack therein with a plurality of identical sampling containers removably affixed to the rack and adapted to selectively entrap a sample of the ambient fluid medium in response to a remote signal. The sample containers housing the entrapped samples may be removed and transported to another site for analysis and clean sample containers placed in the system for subsequent sampling.